01345: Goodbye, Poy-Poy

Poy-Poy died today, at approximately 05:45am this morning. We had checked him in at the Animal House clinic yesterday after his seemingly non-stop vomiting had resumed and tests confirmed that he was suffering from parvo. The clinic had been trying to reach us via our landline but Tobie had been asleep at the time and I was still at the office. So we had no clue that he had already passed by the time we had gone to the clinic after lunch for what we thought would be the first of many visits.

The shock was tremendous and the emotional turmoil even worse. Tobie was pretty devastated and I did my best to hold it together for him. And it didn't get any easier when Tobie called Prince, who is out of town at the moment, to give him the bad news. But I had to be strong and did my best to keep things in balance. There were decisions to be made, bills to settle and a dearly departed friend to lay to rest.

I haven't really had a dog to call my own since I was back home with Max and Molly, and I was forever grateful that Prince was generous enough to share his dog - his best friend actually - with Tobie and me. He didn't have to, I know, and it did take him some time before he fully trusted us with his dog. And so it was quite the landmark decision for him to do so and have Poy-Poy live with us at the Sietch.

Poy-Poy had been my first bridge to Prince, actually. Back when we were still getting to know him better outside the context of O Bar, we started to have what would be known as Poy-Poy days - chances for us to hang out and bond during the times we'd bring him to the groomers.

It was quite the magical experience for me given I haven't had a pet since I had left my cats Smoke and Mist behind after my break-up with Brian. And here I was with an adorable, amazing dog thanks to the generosity of an equally amazing man. I knew I was falling in love with Prince after I had seen how he cares for Poy-Poy. His love for animals was something special - a glimpse into the beauty of his heart.

Having Poy-Poy move in with us here at the Sietch was far more than just the addition of a pet to our home. It was a chance for Tobie to finally start working on moving past his fear of dogs. It was a chance to become more than just boyfriends but a true family unit together. It gave us all a new way to celebrate love and share it with someone who only showed us love in return - and that was most definitely Poy-Poy.

I can't help but feel I could have done more - perhaps had him checked out at a better clinic on Saturday instead of just Pet Express. Or the fact that I didn't double-check his vaccination records sooner to make sure he had all of his shots. Or perhaps I could have brought him to the clinic earlier yesterday when the vomiting had resumed instead of waiting for later in the day. You know how it is - the guilt of anyone who has ever lost a pet. I know I shouldn't beat myself up too much, but admittedly it's far too easy to fall into this particular trap.

Thank you Poy-Poy, thank you for sharing your love and your life with us. Thank you for helping us to become better people. Thank you for all the fun times together. Thank you for the quiet moments. Thank you for the playful bites and nips. Thank you for everything. May you rest in peace in that big doggie farm in the sky. You will be among beloved friends there. Max and Molly are friendly, I promise you, and would love to play with you. Alice may look scary, but she's actually a nice Doberman. Nana is a bit slobbery, but she'll take care of you. Ching-ching gets a little feisty at times, but he's really a softy. Yoda kind of smells at times, but he's a wise old dog who'll guide your way. Miggy and Moro may not seem at all fancy - and they're not, I know - but they're fun to play with and should show you a good time.

This won't be the end Poy-Poy, but give us time. The ASA Family needs to have a dog, needs to have a child of sorts to be truly complete. I promise you won't be the last dog that Tobie will love and celebrate with. I promise Prince will have a new friend, but never meant as a replacement for you in any way. We'll continue to celebrate our love for animals in memory of you.

I love you Poy-Poy. Thank you so much for the happiness.